


in the blink of an eye

by kadtherine



Category: The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals - Team StarKid
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Other, also there's a puking scene, au taking place after 'not your seed', basically both alice and bill survives, but still, i don't go much into details, spoilers obviously, yeah - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-10
Updated: 2019-01-09
Packaged: 2019-10-07 12:26:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17365814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kadtherine/pseuds/kadtherine
Summary: He didn't grimace at her lack of hesitation as Alice lifted the rifle at eye-level without flinching. He didn't move when Paul tried to drag him back, his pleas falling on deaf ears. Instead, he focused on his daughter and the fact that she hadn't shot either of them.





	in the blink of an eye

**Author's Note:**

> I love this musical so much and I love this scene/song so much ! I also love Bill and Alice - I adore both characters - so I decided to both of them should get to live happy, trouble-free lives. Hence this fic. Hope you'll like it!

_Your daughter's dead_. _This is not your daughter._ _ **I'm not your girl anymore.**_

 

 

Voices and words echoed in Bill's mind, each trying to be louder than the other. Each trying to convince him of something he didn't want to believe. Ted had told him that his daughter was dead and yet, here she stood. Paul had told him that she wasn't his daughter but then again, Paul had also told him that he wasn't at fault when he clearly was – _thisisyourfaulthisisyourfaulthisisyourfault._ Bill was vaguely aware that the singing had stopped, that Paul had a hand wrapped around his forearm and that the rifle Professor Hidgens had given them was in Alice's hands.

 

 

Judging by the way his grasp tightened, Paul had noticed it too. Bill's gaze drifted from the weapon to Alice, the latter staring back at him with dull eyes. He swallowed around the lump in his throat as he stared back into her green, seemingly lifeless, eyes – _your daughter's dead_ – and tried not to let his panic show. He didn't grimace at her lack of hesitation as Alice lifted the rifle at eye-level without flinching. He didn't move when Paul tried to drag him back, his pleas falling on deaf ears. Instead, he focused on his daughter and the fact that she hadn't shot either of them.

 

 

Bill didn't really know what to expect apart from the singing. Both Sam and Charlotte had gleefully toyed with them before being shot by Hidgens. Unlike them, Alice was eerily quiet and silent. Bill found himself thanking God that none of her organs had been ripped out, her body intact – at least, for what he could see. Alice seemed frozen in a trance and Bill didn't know how to get through her– _this is your fault._ There were only a few things a night out to see _Mamma Mia_ could fix.

 

 

There were fewer things they could do in a week per month – _did you know that I wanted to live with you_ – and there wasn't much he knew about his daughter.   _This is not your daughter,_ Paul's words echoed in his mind, _this isn't your daughter._ Would Bill even be able to know the difference? After all, he had already missed a lot. Bill rubbed his nose, pushing back tears as he allowed Paul to drag him back, eyes still fixed on Alice. That was when he saw it. He saw Alice blink.

 

Bill saw Alice blink and was reminded of a headstrong little girl refusing to lose staring contests to whomever she locked eyes with. He remembered her green eyes lighting up whenever she'd win, bouncing on the ball of her feet and giggling. _You lost,_ she'd say, twirling in her flowing skirts, _I remained_ _the undefeated champion._ He saw Alice blink and tell himself that his daughter  was still there. _You lost,_ Bill thought, a small smile forming on his face, _she remained the undefeated champion._

 

Bill dug his feet into the floor, halting Paul as he tried to pry his fingers off his arm. The latter turned around with a frown when Bill went to take a step forward.

 

 

“Bill, what are you doing? We gotta go-”

 

 

Bill shook off his hand and took another step forward. “No, I'm not going anywhere without my daughter.”

 

 

“Bill, _come on-”_

 

 

“We crossed this entire town with the intention of saving Alice,” he interrupted again, turning around to meet Paul's eyes. Paul stared back at him, his brow furrowed and gaze drifting back to Alice every two seconds. Bill sighed, squeezing his shoulder. “Now, I can't thank you enough for coming with me and I'll totally understand if you decided to go back . But I'm not leaving my daughter.”

 

  


_Not again,_ the thought went unheard and yet, the words seemed to echo around the room. Clearing his throat, Bill gave Paul's shoulder a squeeze before he let his hand slide off. To his surprise – and relief -  he didn't walk away, nor did he try to grab and drag him away again. Instead, Paul's gaze focused on something behind Bill. Or rather, someone. Letting out a breath, Bill slowly turned on his heels, his eyes locking on Alice.

 

 

 

“Alice,” he licked his lips, raising his hands to show that he meant no harm, “I know you're in there and I know you're mad-”

 

 

“She's gone,” _Alice_ retorted, her tone flat as she clicked off the safety, “you were too late. As always.”

 

 

Gritting his teeth, Bill leveled a glare at _her._ “I'm not talking to you,” he spat, “I'm talking to my daughter. You lost, by the way,” he added as an after-thought.

 

 

  


The corner of his mouth twitched up in a half-smile when he saw her roll her eyes, her fingers twitching around the rifle. There it was. A familiar emotion that wasn't indifference or blatant ignorance. Billy allowed himself to hope and took a couple steps toward Alice, vaguely aware of Paul following him.

 

  


“You haven't shot any of us, either,” Bill said, hoping he sounded more confident that he felt. He swallowed a cry of pain when Paul elbowed his side.

 

 

 _Alice_ tilted her head to the side. “That could be arranged.”

 

 

“You haven't shot any of us,” he repeated, slowly closing the distance, “you could've shot us at any moment but you didn't. Something's keeping you from doing it. _Someone_  who's much stronger than you. Much stronger than me. Which is why you chose her, right?” Bill shrugged, “I mean, why wouldn't you?”

 

 

 

Bill noticed her white knuckles, her bent knees and clenched jaw. He noticed more about his daughter in the last five minutes than he had in the last five years. The opportunity was here and he'd be damned if he didn't do anything about it.

 

 

“Alice, sweetheart; I know you're in there. I know you're mad at me. You've got every right to be mad, cause I fucked up. I fucked up hard and you might never forgive me for. I'm not asking for your forgiveness,” Bill felt the back of his eyes burn and swallowed a wave of tears, “I don't have the right to ask you for anything. I just need you to know that I see you. I see you as the strong, smart and stubborn young woman that you are. And I know that you're too stubborn to let some kind of alien force take control of your body. I know you can fight it. After all, you're the undefeated champion.”

 

 

 

The barrel of the rifle was pointed to his chest, way too close for comfort. Bill didn't pay it much mind – there wasn't much he could if _Alice_ decided to fire – and instead, focused on the small crease between her eyebrows and the anguish shining in her eyes. Her mouth contorted from a smirk to a grimace, to a snarl. She shook her head, muttering under her breath. As if talking to her self. Bill heard her take a sharp inhale of air, her head bent down. He tentatively reached out a hand and laid it on the weapon, lowering it so the barrel was facing the floor.

 

 

Alice collapsed on the floor when he went to touch her shoulder.

 

 

Both Bill and Paul knelt in front of her, the latter keeping his distance while he reached for the rifle. Alice's breath came out in shaky exhales, her fingers pulling at her hair as she rocked back and forth. Billy went to brush her hair out of her face before he thought better of it and retrated his hand.

  


 

“Alice? Alice, if you can hear me, you need to calm down, babe.”

 

 

She shook her head, her body trembling with sobs. “I can't-”

 

 

“Yeah, you can,” Paul intervened, sliding next to him, weapon slung over his shoulder. “You're breathing away too quickly, you're gonna black out if you don't calm down.”

 

 

 

 

Usually, Bill would've berated Paul for his bluntness but sensitivity didn't seem to be appropriate for that particular situation. Without thinking, he took one of Alice's hands in his and placed into on his chest, taking exaggerate breaths. Next to him, Paul began to do the same, surely hoping that Alice would mimic them. Her hand clenched around the fabric of his shirt and Bill had to fight the urge to flinch back

 

 

  


“It won't go away,” she whimpered, gasping for air. She looked up, green eyes wide and shining with unshed tears. “It won't go, it won't leave me alone. I can't get it to leave me alone.”

 

 

Bill's heart broke as he listened to her cry. He covered her hand with his and squeezed. “Yes, you can, Alice. Come on, babe. I need you to breathe. In,” Bill took an exaggerated gulp of air, holding it in ten seconds before slowly pushing it out of his nose, “And out. Feel how my chest is rising? Yeah? Come on, your turn: in...and out.”

 

 

 

Alice closed her eyes, her head falling forward, and Bill felt his heart drop at his seemingly unconscious daughter. He gave her hand a squeeze, letting out a quiet sob of relief when she squeezed back. Bill could hear her mumble to herself, frowning when he noticed that her eyes weren’t fully closed but staring at the hand resting on her lap. Following her gaze, Bill realized that she was counting on trembling fingers before inhaling.

 

 

 

“That’s it, Alice. You’re doing great.”

 

 

 

Her brow furrowed, Alice blinked at her hand, counting backward before she breathed out. Clenching her hand into a fist, she looked back up to meet Bill’s gaze. He braced himself as she blinked a couple of times, afraid he’d see the same blankness as before. To his relief, they were not. Much to his concern, they were red and one pupil was bigger than the other. While they were no physical sign of injury, Bill hadn’t worried about the possibility of her having a concussion. Which, from the look of it, was extremely probable.  

 

 

 

Alice slowly pulled her hand from his grasp and cradled it to her chest, her eyes narrowed in confusion. “Dad?”

 

 

“Hey, kiddo,” Bill cleared his throat, running a hand over his face. “How are you feelin’?

 

 

“My head is killing me,” Alice muttered, “I’m tired too. Is that Uncle Paul?”

 

 

Bill and Paul exchanged a look, the latter nodding. “Yeah. He helped me get here.”

 

 

“Did you eat, drink anything?” Paul asked, “That’s how they got the customers at Beanie’s. Put some of that weird blue shit in their coffee,” he added when met with Bill’s confused look.

 

 

Alice shook her head before she groaned, a grimace on her face. “I don’t think so, I can’t rememb-” she suddenly gasped, causing both men to flinch back. Her eyes widened, gaze darting from Bill to Paul, as she pushed herself backward until her back hit the hall. “You shouldn’t be here. You need to go, it’s not safe. For either of you.”

  


 

Bill thought she saw her gaze linger on Paul before she focused on her attention on her fingers, as if anticipating another panic attack. Holding out a hand behind him, Bill slowly slid on the floor, grimacing when Alice flinched back, the back of her head hitting the wall. As she looked up at him with teary, scared eyes, Bill felt his heart break once more.

 

 

 

“ _We_ shouldn’t be there, none of us,” he corrected, his tone not leaving any room for discussion. “And _I’m_ not leaving you. Not again.”

 

 

 

Sniffing, Alice wiped a tear with the back of her hand. Bill reached forward and brushed her hair out of her face, smiling when she didn’t flinch back. Alice went to open her mouth before her eyes widened, her jaw clenching. She covered her mouth with both of her hands, dry heaving. She, at least, had the decency to wait until Paul had pulled him back by the collar before throwing up the side. They both watched, in disgust and horror, as Alice emptied the contains of her stomach on the floor. Bill almost started to dry heave as well when he saw her pull a familiar blue golb out of her mouth.

 

 

He tried not to stare at the bright atrocity as he placed his arms under Alice’s armpits and dragged her backward, the latter coughing out yellow bile. Bill wrapped his arms around Alice, his chin resting on his head and her hands wrapped around his forearms. He watched, weary, Paul walk toward the small glob.

 

 

 

“Paul,” Bill hissed, frowning when Paul jumped at the sound of his name, as if snapping out of a trance.

 

 

He looked back at the two and let out a weak chuckle. “Sorry. I guess _that,_ ” he pointed to the blob with the rifle, “explains a lot of stuff,” he cleared his throat, “Come on, we should get out of here before they realize something’s wrong.”

 

 

 

Swinging the rifle behind his back, Paul walked to the door and cracked it. He put his foot in the doorway and slipped out of the room, looking down the hall.

 

 

 

“Okay, coast’s clear,” Paul announced, “we need to move.”

 

 

 

Nodding, Bill got up to his feet, dragging Alice up. She winced at the sudden movement, her head falling against his shoulder. It took one look at her to know that she wouldn't be able to take more than two steps out before she'd faint. Bill placed one arm behind her back and another under her knees, cradling her to his chest. He felt a lump from his throat when Alice wrapped both of her arms around her neck.

 

 

 

Bill cleared his throat and looked up at Paul. “Let's get the fuck out of here."

 

 

_**  
** _

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, babes! I really hope you liked it cuz I'll be writing a lot more about those characters in the near future. Please, leave a comment to tell me what your thoughts about this chapter/story/plot in general, I'll love you forever ! You can also follow me on tumblr, @gwendastacy and we'll become best friends forever and ever ! 
> 
> Till next time, lovelies,   
> Kadi.


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